Rechargeable Batteries

!>http://www.steves-digicams.com/images7/aa_nimh_batteries.jpg! We’ve had rechargeable batteries for a long time. I mainly use them to run my bicycle flashers, but with the advent of LED flashers, I don’t use them much. The big use we have is for various kids toys and also walkie talkies where AAs and AAAs are in high demand. After five years many of these don’t seem to hold much charge and some of the new ones I’ve bought haven’t delivered on the replaces 500 Alkalines. In fact, the gigantic D batteries I bought lasted just six months and won’t recharge, so you can pay too little.

“Steve’s digicams”:http://www.steves-digicams.com/nimh_batteries.html has a great review. Says anything two years old should get replaced with the new 2500mAh or 2700mAh. Also there are two new kinds of NiMH batteries, the Sanyo Eneloop and Uniross Hybrio. These are ready to use out of the package but most importantly can hold their charge for months. The conventional NiMH lose about 1% a day and it feels like they go flat in a month to me 🙂 The Uniross is a 2100mAh and says it will retain 85% of their charge in a year and last 500 recharges. The eneloop retains 85% after a year as well and is a nominal 2000mAH (sounds like the same battery to me). It is $14 for 4 cells. “Stefan”:http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/sanyo_eneloop.html loves the Eneloop by the way. Thomas also has the “Accupower Acculoop”:http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/accupower-acculoop-2100mah-aabrultra-low-discharge-nimh-batteriesbr2-battery-pack-p-536.html?SP_id=65&osCsid=aafl9bktm5ertnrfnb4if13qr5 that also appears with identical specs at $5 for 2.

He uses “Thomas-distributing.com”:http://thomas-distributing.com which I’ve found to be a great source. They currently have a sale for the Sanyo Eneloop at $9 per 4 pack by the way. “They”:http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/uniross-hybrio-2100mah-4-aa-nimh-batteriesbrultra-low-discharge-nimhbr1-free-4-cell-battery-case-p-279.html?osCsid=25sgak7pkrdud79dobqmu70h64 have the Uniross Hybrio at $11 each as well.

Also instead of some fancy charger, you can now get USB-based chargers so you can charge them just about anywhere either as “do it yourself”:http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/usb_charger.html or as a product. In fact “Sanyo Eneloop USB Charger”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000XVZYXO/bluebirdlanefarm does the trick.

“Consumersearch.com”:http://www.consumersearch.com/www/electronics/batteries/review.html has a good reviews, although they explain their sources. Basically what they said is that you should get 2700mAh ones. Recommended ar the Energizer 2500 HiMH which are $14 for a 4-pack and last a long time. I’m getting away from the off-brand rechargeables, so that’s a good option. The Duracell 2650 NiMH are just $10 per 4-pack so are pretty good. “Rechargeable-Battery-Review.com” says the Maha Powerex 2700 HiMH are good. I’ve had a bunch of Maha’s and they seem OK.